Doctors urge ban on Kim Yu-na’s alcohol advertising

Korea should introduce a comprehensive ban on sports stars advertising alcohol in an attempt to curb increasing drink-related problems, a group of doctors claimed on Sunday.

Kim Yu-na

The Korean Academy of Addiction Psychiatry released a statement Sunday, raising concerns over Korean athletes’ appearance in alcohol advertisements. The research group, in particular, pointed out figure skating star Kim Yu-na’s beer advertising, claiming it had an influence on youth drinking culture.

The 22-year-old Olympic medalist is a role model and her alcohol advertising should be blamed for teenage binge drinking, said Shin Young-chul a senior member of KAAP.

“The government should introduce regulations to prevent sports stars from appearing in alcohol advertisements,” he said.

Since April, Kim has become the ad model for a Hite Beer product. Previously, the figure skating queen has endorsed all kinds of products from coffee to air conditioners, but this is her first alcohol advertisement.